Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs and Union College in Schenectady are following a national trend of increased applications at private liberal arts colleges in recent years.
Both schools are reporting a record number of applicants for the incoming class of 2009. Skidmore College, for example, has received 6,056 applications for the class of 2009. The college will accept about 690 students from this pool.
At Union College, applications are also at an all-time high. Union expects to enroll a record 600 students for the incoming freshman class, about 40 more students than it usually accepts. “The sheer number and quality of the applicants [haven't] been stronger,” said William Schwarz, Union's communications and public affairs director.
“Their SAT scores are up and their class positions [in high school] are up,” Schwarz said.
“This is something we are seeing across the country,” said Tony Pals a spokesman for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Applications have increased at private, liberal arts colleges across the country between 2 percent and 3 percent per year for the “last five to seven years,” he said.
Pals said his association represents 550 small, liberal arts colleges in the United States, including a significant number in the Northeast. “When we talk to students it comes down to a desire for more of a personal touch,” Pals said about the increased popularity of the small, liberal arts college. “They want a tighter sense of community,” he said. The “personal touch” means smaller classes and closer relationships with professors, administrators and fellow students.
The students applying to private liberal arts colleges are looking for such things as more opportunities to participate in clubs, student activities and sports.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education project this 2-3 percent application increase at private liberal arts schools will continue for the next 10 years. During the same time period applications are expected to increase between 1 percent and 2 percent at public institutions, Pals said.
At Skidmore College, which maintains a total enrollment of about 2,200 students, the class of 2009 will have a male/female ratio of 38 percent to 62 percent and an average SAT score of about 1250, according to the office of Mary Lou Bates, the college's dean of admissions.
Skidmore College officials say prospective students are impressed with the Saratoga Springs community and its charming and accessible downtown.
Schwarz said Union College applicants are impressed with the new image of the Capital Region as Tech Valley. “It's a much different place than it was,” Schwarz said. “The region has more to offer [in terms of internships and jobs].”
“It all comes together in a nice package,” he said.